In the lead-up to the Oxfordshire Creative Industries Showcase on 27 June, we will be featuring a number of blogs from partner organisations taking part in the event at Oxford Brookes University.
Book your Showcase tickets now
All of us at the Creative Industries Federation are very pleased to be collaborating with OxLEP and Oxford Brookes University, alongside national partners including Creative England, Arts Council England and Digital Catapult, to bring Oxfordshire’s world-class creative industries together for their first dedicated event in June 2019. Oxfordshire is home to more than 3,000 digital and creative businesses, making it a perfect place to celebrate the creative sector.
From world-leading publishers, nationally recognised arts and cultural bodies, cutting-edge innovators in VR and immersive technologies, architects, designers, and ground-breaking gaming and software companies - the sector employs over 30,000 people across Oxfordshire and contributes over £1.4bn to the local economy.
Identified as a high growth cluster through March 2014's Creative Industries Sector Deal, the sector is central to Oxfordshire’s ambitious Local Industrial Strategy Trailblazer, which aims to position the region as one of the top three global innovation ecosystems by 2040 and which will be jointly launched with Government in the coming weeks.
I'm looking forward to chairing our panel, which will bring together leading creative and digital businesses from within and outside the Oxfordshire LEP region to raise awareness of the incredible growth potential generated by cross-sector innovation. I'll be talking to Amelia Kallman, Director of Communications at Inition; Anne-Marie Verdin-Mulot, Director of Digital Marketing, Communications & Tourism at Bicester Village; and Les Hopper, Head of Innovation and Digital Product at Oxford University Press.
Creative enterprises often incorporate a crucial blend of creative and digital skills, meaning that they can be well-positioned to unlock innovation and growth across the wider economy. Our speakers will discuss how identifying opportunities across other industries has accelerated their success and will share insights into how to replicate this success locally.
Alongside plenty of time for networking with other creative businesses, there will also be the opportunity for delegates to access business support and advice from national sector bodies who will be holding surgeries throughout the showcase. Our Partnership Manager, Evy, will be in the POD ready to answer any of your questions, so do go and say hello.
I look forward to meeting you there.
Annie Lydford
Director of Communications and Marketing
Creative Industries Federation
